Generally, clothes washing machines include a pulsator type clothes washing machine in which a drum is erected in the vertical direction, a drum type clothes washing machine in which a drum lays down, a clothes washing and drying machine having drying function, and a clothes drying machine for performing only drying function of clothes.
Specially, the drum type clothes washing machine among the clothes washing machines is an apparatus for performing the washing of laundry using friction generated between the drum rotated due to the driving force transmitted from a motor when detergent, washing water, and the laundry are supplied into the drum. According to the drum type clothes washing machine, the laundry is hardly damaged nor entangled. Moreover, the drum type clothes washing machine has an effect like washing of the laundry using a washing stick and by rubbing the laundry.
Hereinafter, the conventional drum type clothes washing machine will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating an inner structure of the conventional drum type clothes washing machine.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional drum type clothes washing machine includes a main body 10, a tub mounted in the main body 10, a drum 30 mounted to rotated in the tub 20 and having a lift 35 installed in the inner circumference thereof, and a driving device for driving the drum 30.
In the front side of the main body 10, a door 40 is provided at a predetermined position to correspond to an opening of the drum 30, and a gasket 50 is provided between the door 40 and the drum 30 to seal the drum 30.
Here, in the tub 20, dampers 21 are provided in the lateral lower sides of the outer circumference thereof and fixed in the main body 10.
The driving device 70 includes a driving motor 71 for driving the drum 30 and a belt 72 connected to a belt pulley 73 to transmit a driving force of the driving motor 71 to the drum 30.
In the drum type clothes washing machine structured as described above, a controller (not shown) for receiving command for washing the laundry from a user and controlling the clothes washing machine carries out the washing of the laundry while performing a washing cycle, a rinsing cycle, and a final dehydrating cycle sequentially.
In the washing cycle, contaminant is separated through detergent, and due to shock and friction generated due to a head that the laundry is lifted up and dropped down by the lift 35 and a bending and expanding movement of the laundry during the continuous rotation of the drum 30.
In the rinsing cycle, fresh washing water is supplied and the drum 30 is repeatedly rotated such that the remaining detergent and the contaminant generated during the washing cycle are separated from the laundry and the laundry is rinsed.
Moreover, in the final dehydrating cycle, the drum 30 is rotated at a high speed (approximately 800 RPM to 1300 RPM) such that the dehydrating process is carried out to dehydrate the laundry that is completely rinsed.
Recently, in order to save power consumption and the washing water supplied to the washing of the laundry, the clothes washing machine further includes a steam generator 80.
As shown in FIG. 2, the conventional steam generator 80 includes a case 82 having a space for storing water, and a beater 84 for heating the stored water.
Here, in a side of the case 82, a water supplying port 81 is connected to a water-supplying pipe (not shown) of the clothes washing machine to introduce the water into the case 82. In the opposite side of the case 82, a discharge port 83 is connected to a steam-supplying pipe (not shown) for supplying steam generated by heating the water introduced into the case 82 to the drum 30 of the clothes washing machine.
Meanwhile, in the intermediate region of the case 82, a temperature sensor 88 is provided to detect temperature of the water stored in the case 82.
Further, in order to prevent the heater 84 from being overheated resulting in damaging the heater 84 and peripheral components, a heater temperature sensor (not shown) such as a thermo-fuse is installed to an end of the heater 84.
In the upper side of the case 82, a water level sensor 90 is installed to detect the level of the water stored in the case 82.
FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a conventional level sensor.
As shown in the drawing, the conventional level sensor 90 includes a plurality of electrodes 92 extended toward the bottom of the case 82, a housing 94 fixed to the case 82 to support the electrodes 92, and a socket 96 into which a connector (not shown) for connecting the electrodes 92 to a controller (not shown) of the clothes washing machine is inserted.
The upper sides of the respective electrodes 92 are covered by a covering part 98 of the housing 94.
In other words, after inserting the respective electrodes 92 into the covering part 98 of the housing 94, the socket 96 is assembled to the upper side of the housing 94 and the housing 94 is assembled to the upper side of the case 82 so that the level sensor 90 is installed in the steam generator by way of assembling.
Thus, when the water is supplied into the case 82 up to a certain water level, the electrode corresponding to the water level is electrically connected to another electrode through the water.
However, the conventional level sensor of the clothes washing machine has disadvantages as follows.
Firstly, since the level sensor includes several components and needs several assembling processes, the productivity is deteriorated.
Secondly, the covering part surrounding the outsides of the electrodes covers only some of upper parts of the electrodes. When vibration is applied to the case of the steam generator or the water in the case undulates during the water supply so that the water splashes around, a drop of water is placed between the uncovered portions of the electrodes so as to make the electrodes electrically connected so that the controller may erroneously detect the level in the case.
Thirdly, since there is a gap between the electrodes and the covering part of the housing, leakage caused by a capillary phenomenon may cause an electric leakage. Moreover, if sealing in order to prevent this problem, since work for the sealing is required, the productivity is deteriorated.
Furthermore, since the electrodes are inserted into the covering part of the housing, the covering part and the electrodes must be made in simple structures so as to make the insertion made easily. Thus, correspondingly, the covering part and the part of the electrodes inserted into the covering part are limited to be straight so that the installation position of the level sensor is limited to the position directly above the space for storing the water of the case.